Silver Co. Says 'Significant' Production Possible at Mexico Mine

MAG Silver Corp. (MAG:TSX; MAG:NYSE American) has announced preliminary 2024 guidance for its new high-grade Juanicipio mine in Mexico.

Project operator and joint mine owner Fresnillo Plc reported the silver head grade at the project is expected to range between 380 grams per tonne (g/t) and 420 g/t for the year, "translating to significant silver production potential," the company said in a release.

"Following a very successful start-up and ramp-up phase in 2023, the Juanicipio Mine is now operating at steady-state with robust silver grades and operations beginning to benefit from increasing efficiencies," MAG President and Chief Executive Officer George Paspalas said. "With the release of our updated technical report on the horizon, we're eager to paint an even clearer picture of the exciting future ahead for Juanicipio and MAG Silver."

MAG said it was on schedule to release the report by the end of Q1 2024, "providing more definitive guidance and solidifying our outlook for the Juanicipio mine," the company said.

Fresnillo owns 56% of Juanicipio and MAG owns 44%. Earlier this year, MAG released production totals from the fourth quarter for Juanicipio, which reached nameplate status during Q3.

Analyst Chris Thompson of PI Financial maintained his Buy rating on the stock with a CA$17.50 per share target price.

Juanicipio processed 346,766 tonnes of mineralized material during the quarter, up from 322,249 the quarter before, and produced 4.5 million ounces silver (Moz Ag) ounces and more than 10,000 ounces gold (Au).

Analyst Chris Thompson of PI Financial wrote that he was "eagerly" awaiting the release of the company's year-end financial results and guidance, which is expected this month. Thompson maintained his Buy rating on the stock with a CA$17.50 per share target price.

"We remain impressed by Juanicipio's operating performance, which has delivered two consecutive quarters of beating/meeting our Ag Eq (silver equivalent) production expectations," Thompson wrote. "Also, we note that higher than anticipated head grades across all metals (Ag, Au, Pb [lead] and Zn [zinc]) are comparable with our head grade expectations for this year."

The Catalyst: Bullish Silver Market Coming?

The most conductive element in nature, silver coats electrical contacts in computers, phones, cars, and appliances. It's also an important element in solar and fuel cell technology. 

The precious metal opened the year at US$23.08 per ounce and was at US$23.96 on Tuesday afternoon. However, some analysts are still very bullish on its future this year. Investinghaven.com predicted a target price of US$34.70 and said the price could go as high as US$48 in mid-2024 or mid-2025.

"We reiterate our bullish stance about the silver market," noted the site, which identified silver as the strongest precious metal going into 2024-2026.

"In one of those years, silver will be touching US$50," the site noted. "We are convinced that silver will exceed US$50 before the end of 2026."

The World Silver Survey 2023, published by the Silver Institute, said there was a 237.7 Moz deficit between supply and demand for the precious metal in 2022, a deficit that likely repeated in 2023.

MAG is mining the Bonanza zone of the Valdecañas vein system in the Zacatecas state of Mexico. A preliminary economic assessment (PEA) in 2017 estimated a 19-year mine life.

Plant Turns to Optimization

Juanicipio processed a total of 1,268,756 tonnes of mineralized material and produced 16.8 Moz Ag and 36,732 gold ounces in 2023. The average silver head grade for the year was 472 g/t, "demonstrating the notable consistency of the Juanicipio deposit and solidifying its position as one of the highest-grade silver mines in the world," the company said at the time.

Analyst Kevin O'Halloran with BMO Capital Markets rated the stock Outperform with a CA$24 per share price target.

Analyst Kevin O'Halloran with BMO Capital Markets was among several industry analysts who visited the plant in Mexico last year. He rated the stock Outperform with a CA$24 per share price target.

"After reaching nameplate production in Q3, the focus at Juanicipio has turned to optimization, which was underway during our site visit in November," he wrote.

Ownership and Share Structure

Institutions own 70% of MAG, and 30% is retail, according to the company.

Top institutional shareholders include Juanicipio project operator Fresnillo Plc. with 9.1%, BlackRock Asset Management at 9.9%, ETF Managers Group LLC at 5.3%, Sprott Asset Management at 5.1%, and First Eagle Investment Management at 5.6%, the company said.

MAG Silver has a market cap of US$907.49 million. It has 102.97 million shares outstanding, according to Reuters said. It trades in a 52-week range of US$14.42 and US$8.20.

Important Disclosures:

1. MAG Silver Corp. is a billboard sponsor of Streetwise Reports and pays SWR a monthly sponsorship fee between US$4,000 and US$5,000.
2. Steve Sobek wrote this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an employee.
3.  This article does not constitute investment advice and is not a solicitation for any investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her personal financial adviser and perform their own comprehensive investment research. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company. 

For additional disclosures, please click here.

Disclosures for BMO Capital Markets, MAG Silver Corp., January 24, 2024

Analyst's Certification I, Kevin O'Halloran, hereby certify that the views expressed in this report accurately reflect my personal views about the subject securities or issuers. I also certify that no part of my compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendations or views expressed in this report. Analysts who prepared this report are compensated based upon (among other factors) the overall profitability of BMO Capital Markets and their affiliates, which includes the overall profitability of investment banking services. Compensation for research is based on effectiveness in generating new ideas and in communication of ideas to clients, performance of recommendations, accuracy of earnings estimates, and service to clients. Analysts employed by BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. and/or BMO Capital Markets Limited are not registered as research analysts with FINRA. These analysts may not be associated persons of BMO Capital Markets Corp. and therefore may not be subject to the FINRA Rule 2241 restrictions on communications with a subject company, public appearances and trading securities held by a research analyst account.

Company Specific Disclosures Disclosure 1: BMO Capital Markets has undertaken an underwriting liability with respect to MAG Silver within the past 12 months. Disclosure 2: BMO Capital Markets has provided investment banking services for remuneration with respect to MAG Silver within the past 12 months. Disclosure 3: BMO Capital Markets has managed or co-managed a public offering of securities with respect to MAG Silver within the past 12 months. Disclosure 4: BMO Capital Markets or an affiliate has received compensation for investment banking services from MAG Silver within the past 12 months. Disclosure 5: BMO Capital Markets or an affiliate received compensation for products or services other than investment banking services within the past 12 months from MAG Silver. Disclosure 6A: MAG Silver is a client (or was a client) of BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., BMO Capital Markets Corp., BMO Capital Markets Limited or an affiliate within the past 12 months: A) Investment Banking Services Disclosure 6C: MAG Silver is a client (or was a client) of BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., BMO Capital Markets Corp., BMO Capital Markets Limited or an affiliate within the past 12 months: C) Non-Securities Related Services. Disclosure 16: A research analyst has extensively viewed the material operations of MAG Silver. Disclosure 17: MAG Silver has provided at its expense some or all of the itinerant travel for the research analyst related to facilitating a material site visit.

Other Important Disclosures For Important Disclosures on the stocks discussed in this report, please go to https://researchglobal0.bmocapitalmarkets.com/public-disclosure/ or write to Editorial Department, BMO Capital Markets, 151 West 42nd St, 33rd Floor, New York, NY 10036 or Editorial Department, BMO Capital Markets, 1 First Canadian Place, Toronto, Ontario, M5X 1H3. Dissemination of Research Dissemination of fundamental BMO Capital Markets Equity Research is available via our website https:// researchglobal0.bmocapitalmarkets.com/. Institutional clients may also simultaneously receive our fundamental research via email and/or via services such as Refinitiv, Bloomberg, FactSet, Visible Alpha, and S&P Capital IQ. BMO Capital Markets issues a variety of research products in addition to fundamental research. Institutional clients may request notification when additional research content is made available on our website. BMO Capital Markets may use proprietary models in the preparation of reports. Material information about such models may be obtained by contacting the research analyst directly. There is no planned frequency of model updates. The analyst(s) named in this report may discuss trading strategies that reference a catalyst or event that may have a near or long term impact on the market price of the equity securities discussed. In some cases, the impact may directionally counter the analyst’s published 12 month target price and rating. Any such trading or alternative strategies can be based on differing time horizons, methodologies, or otherwise and are distinct from and do not affect the analysts' fundamental equity rating in the report. Research coverage of licensed cannabis producers and other cannabis-related companies is made available only to eligible approved North American, Australian, and EU-based BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., BMO Capital Markets Limited, Bank of Montreal Europe Plc and BMO Capital Markets Corp. clients via email, our website and select third party platforms. MAG Silver | Page 9 January 24, 2024 Prepared for Billy Kingsborough ~ Research distribution and approval times are provided on the cover of each report. Times are approximations as system and distribution processes are not exact and can vary based on the sender and recipients’ services. Unless otherwise noted, times are Eastern Standard and when two times are provided, the approval time precedes the distribution time. For recommendations disseminated during the preceding 12-month period, please visit: https://researchglobal0.bmocapitalmarkets.com/publicdisclosure/. General Disclaimer "BMO Capital Markets" is a trade name used by BMO Financial Group for the wholesale banking businesses of Bank of Montreal, BMO Bank N.A. (member FDIC), Bank of Montreal Europe p.l.c, and Bank of Montreal (China) Co. Ltd, the institutional broker dealer business of BMO Capital Markets Corp. (Member FINRA and SIPC) and the agency broker dealer business of Clearpool Execution Services, LLC (Member FINRA and SIPC) in the U.S., and the institutional broker dealer businesses of BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. (Member Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada and Member Canadian Investor Protection Fund) in Canada and Asia, Bank of Montreal Europe p.l.c. (authorised and regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland) in Europe and BMO Capital Markets Limited (authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) in the UK and Australia. Bank of Montreal or its subsidiaries ("BMO Financial Group") has lending arrangements with, or provide other remunerated services to, many issuers covered by BMO Capital Markets. The opinions, estimates and projections contained in this report are those of BMO Capital Markets as of the date of this report and are subject to change without notice. BMO Capital Markets endeavours to ensure that the contents have been compiled or derived from sources that we believe are reliable and contain information and opinions that are accurate and complete. However, BMO Capital Markets makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, in respect thereof, takes no responsibility for any errors and omissions contained herein and accepts no liability whatsoever for any loss arising from any use of, or reliance on, this report or its contents. Information may be available to BMO Capital Markets or its affiliates that is not reflected in this report. The information in this report is not intended to be used as the primary basis of investment decisions, and because of individual client objectives, should not be construed as advice designed to meet the particular investment needs of any investor. The information in this report is based on general considerations and do not purport to meet the objectives or needs of specific recipients. Nothing herein constitutes any investment, legal, tax or other advice nor is it to be relied on in any investment or decision. If you are in doubt about any of the contents of this document, the reader should obtain independent professional advice. This material is for information purposes only and is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any security. In furnishing this report, BMO Capital Markets intends to take advantage of the exemption from the principal and agency trading restrictions in Section 206(3) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and Rule 206(3)-1 thereunder. Accordingly, recipients of this report are advised that BMO Capital Markets or its affiliates may act as principal for its own account or agent for another person in connection with the purchase or sale of any security mentioned in or the subject of this report. BMO Capital Markets or its affiliates, officers, directors or employees have a long or short position in many of the securities discussed herein, related securities or in options, futures or other derivative instruments based thereon. The reader should assume that BMO Capital Markets or its affiliates may have a conflict of interest and should not rely solely on this report in evaluating whether or not to buy or sell securities of issuers discussed herein. Additional Matters This report is directed only at entities or persons in jurisdictions or countries where access to and use of the information is not contrary to local laws or regulations. Its contents have not been reviewed by any regulatory authority. BMO Capital Markets does not represent that this report may be lawfully distributed or that any financial products may be lawfully offered or dealt with, in compliance with regulatory requirements in other jurisdictions, or pursuant to an exemption available thereunder. To Australian residents: BMO Capital Markets Limited and Bank of Montreal are exempt from the requirement to hold an Australian financial services licence under the Corporations Act in respect of financial services they provide to wholesale investors (as defined in the Corporations Act). BMO Capital Markets Limited is regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority under UK laws, and Bank of Montreal in Hong Kong is regulated by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Securities and Futures Commission, which differ from Australia laws. This document is only intended for wholesale clients (as defined in the Corporations Act 2001), Eligible Counterparties or Professional Clients (as defined in Annex II to MiFID II) and Professional Investors (as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance and the Securities and Futures (Professional Investor) Rules under the Securities and Futures Ordinance of Hong Kong). To Canadian Residents: BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. furnishes this report to Canadian residents and accepts responsibility for the contents herein subject to the terms set out above. Any Canadian person wishing to effect transactions in any of the securities included in this report should do so through BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. The following applies if this research was prepared in whole or in part by Colin Hamilton, Alexander Pearce or Raj Ray: This research is not prepared subject to Canadian disclosure requirements. This research is prepared by BMO Capital Markets Limited and distributed by BMO Capital Markets Limited or Bank of Montreal Europe Plc and is subject to the regulations of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the United Kingdom and the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) in Ireland. FCA and CBI regulations require that a firm providing research disclose its ownership interest in the issuer that is the subject of the research if it and its affiliates own 5% or more of the equity of the issuer. Canadian regulations require that a firm providing research disclose its ownership interest in the issuer that is the subject of the research if it and its affiliates own 1% or more of the equity of the issuer that is the subject of the research. Therefore each of BMO Capital Markets Limited and Bank of Montreal Europe Plc will disclose its and its affiliates’ ownership interest in the subject issuer only if such ownership exceeds 5% of the equity of the issuer. To E.U. Residents: In an E.U. Member State this document is issued and distributed by Bank of Montreal Europe plc which is authorised and regulated in Ireland and operates in the E.U. on a passported basis. This document is only intended for Eligible Counterparties or Professional Clients, as defined in Annex II to “Markets in Financial Instruments Directive” 2014/65/EU (“MiFID II”). MAG Silver | Page 10 January 24, 2024 Prepared for Billy Kingsborough To U.S. Residents: BMO Capital Markets Corp. furnishes this report to U.S. residents and accepts responsibility for the contents herein, except to the extent that it refers to securities of Bank of Montreal. Any U.S. person wishing to effect transactions in any security discussed herein should do so through BMO Capital Markets Corp. To U.K. Residents: In the UK this document is published by BMO Capital Markets Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The contents hereof are intended solely for the use of, and may only be issued or passed on to, (I) persons who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order") or (II) high net worth entities falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together referred to as "relevant persons"). The contents hereof are not intended for the use of and may not be issued or passed on to retail clients. To Hong Kong Residents: In Hong Kong, this report is published and distributed by Bank of Montreal. Bank of Montreal (incorporated in Canada with limited liability) is an authorized institution under the Banking Ordinance and a registered institution with the Securities and Futures Commission (CE No. AAK809) to carry on Type 1 (dealing in securities) and Type 4 (advising in securities) regulated activities under the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong). This report has not been reviewed or approved by any regulatory authority in Hong Kong. Accordingly this report must not be issued, circulated or distributed in Hong Kong other than (a) to professional investors as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance and the Securities and Futures (Professional Investor) Rules under the Securities and Futures Ordinance of Hong Kong, or (b) in circumstances which do not result in or constitute an offer to the public in Hong Kong. To Korean Residents: This report has been provided to you without charge for your convenience only. All information contained in this report is factual information and does not reflect any opinion or judgement of BMO Capital Markets. The information contained in this report should not be construed as offer, marketing, solicitation or investment advice with respect to financial investment products in this report. To Japan Residents: This report has not been reviewed by any regulatory authority in Japan. This report is provided for information purposes only and it should not be construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation to buy, or a recommendation for any security, or as an offer to provide investment management or advisory or other services in Japan. Securities may not be offered or sold in Japan by means of this report or any other document other than to Qualified Financial Institutions within the meaning of item (i) of Article 17-3 of the Government Ordinance to enforce the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (Kinyu Shohin Torihiki Ho Sekou Rei). Unless specified otherwise, the securities that may be offered to you are not and will not be registered in Japan pursuant to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Acts. To Taiwanese Residents: This report is not intended to constitute investment advice nor a public offer for any investment products to investors in Taiwan. This report should only be accessed by investors in Taiwan that are qualified to invest in investment products pursuant to relevant Taiwanese laws and regulations, and subject to sales restrictions as set forth in the relevant Taiwanese laws and regulations. BMO Capital Markets has not and will not secure the required licenses in Taiwan for the offer of securities and investment services. Any offer of securities has not been and will not be registered or filed with or approved by the Financial Commission of Taiwan and/or other regulatory authority pursuant to relevant securities laws and regulations of Taiwan, and may not be issued, offered or sold within Taiwan through a public offering or in circumstances which constitute an offer that requires a registration, filing or approval of the Financial Supervisory Commission of Taiwan and/or other regulatory authority in Taiwan under relevant securities laws and regulations of Taiwan. No person or entity in Taiwan has been authorized to offer or sell the securities in Taiwan. To Singapore Residents: This report is intended for general circulation and does not and is not intended to constitute the provision of financial advisory services, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore. You should seek advice from a financial adviser regarding the suitability of the investment products, taking into account your specific investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs before you make a commitment to purchase the investment product. This report has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, it should not be circulated or distributed, nor may the securities described herein be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (a) to an institutional investor or a relevant person as defined in and pursuant to and in accordance with the conditions of the relevant provisions of the Securities and Futures Act of Singapore or (b) otherwise pursuant to and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA. To Israeli residents: BMO Capital Markets is not licensed under the Israeli Law for the Regulation of Investment Advice, Investment Marketing and Portfolio Management of 1995 (the "Advice Law") nor does it carry insurance as required thereunder. This document is to be distributed solely to persons that are qualified clients (as defined under the Advice Law) and qualified investors under the Israeli Securities Law of 1968. This document represents the analysis of the analyst but there is no assurance that any assumption or estimation will materialize. These documents are provided to you on the express understanding that they must be held in complete confidence and not republished, retransmitted, distributed, disclosed, or otherwise made available, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in hard or soft copy, through any means, to any person, except with the prior written consent of BMO Capital Markets. Click here for data vendor disclosures when referenced within a BMO Capital Markets research document. For assistance with accessible formats of online content, please contact research@bmo.com. The recommendation contained in this report was produced at January 24, 2024, 09:17 ET. and disseminated at January 24, 2024, 09:17 ET.